Music of the Rain
by Sapphire09
Summary: Naruto didn't know how he gotten himself to this mess. He was injured, that he knew. Probably, he was attacked. But then, why is it that when he woke up, someone with the same face as him, was by his side? And this place... is not Konoha, is it?
1. Stage I: A New World

I have so many unfinished Naruto story... yet here I am, making another one. I know, I know...

Sigh... Blame the plot bunnies!

**DISCLAIMER:** don't own Naruto.

_A/n: Voidy neesan, saya harp nee-san berkenan untuk membaca cerita dari saya untuk nee-san ini... maaf klo mngkin nee-san nggak begitu suka Naruto, tpi hanya ini yang dapat saya buat... Hiks..._

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><p>A pair of bright blue eyes slowly opened. Those eyes blinked for a while, adjusting to the bright light. The owner of those eyes suddenly found himself staring at the blueness of the sky and the yellow-colored sun.<p>

Groaning, he noticed the light began to hurt his eyes, so he closed them up again and raised his arm to shield himself from the bright, blinding light. He felt his whole body ache, for reason he himself couldn't remember. His brain seemed to be in the middle of adjusting itself, since he can't even remember how he ended up unconscious. He can't even bring himself to worry whether he's in Konoha or not.

"Oi, you alright?" he heard a familiar voice spoke up in concern. It felt familiar in his ears, but he himself can't bring himself to know who exactly _owned_ such voice. But, it did sound very familiar.

"Seriously, answer me if you can hear me," that voice said again. He then answered the voice with a groan as he slowly forced himself to look for the speaker.

He forced himself to open his heavy-lidded eyes and get his eyes adjusted with the bright light again. After a while, he found himself staring at the same blue and yellow again.

"Where… am I?" he tried to ask, but he heard a different sound came out from his throat instead. His voice sounded so hoarse to himself, like he never spoke, or drink, for days.

"You've woken up! That's a good thing to know," he heard that voice said again before he heart rustling sound beside him. He wondered if someone had found him unconscious and waited until he woke up. He then tried to move his spine to a sitting position. He then felt a hand helped him to sit.

He then noticed how soft the ground where he laid on. It was bouncy and comfortable, almost like a bed. When a hand offered him a glass of water, he took it gratefully before he gulped them all in one gulp.

"Thank you," he said as he turned to his side to see his savior as his savior gave him another glass of water.

He saw a guy, around his age, with spiky yellow hair and sky-blue eyes. His face looked so much like himself, like a mirror reflection.

'_Wow, this guy looked just like me,'_ he thought absently as he gulped down the water he had in his palms.

It was after he let out a sigh of content when he finished the drink that he really noticed it. Quicker than anything, his neck turned towards his look-alike and he stared at his carbon copy, taking everything in, before he jumped back.

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU!"

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><p><strong>雨の<strong>**音楽**_  
>(Music of the Rain<br>by Sapphire09_

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><p>"<em>Call it curiosity, if you like."<em>

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><p><strong>STAGE I<strong>_  
>A New World<em>

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><p>Namikaze Naruto was a normal high school student with average grades and few problems of his own. Like all student in his age, he only wished to graduate, get into decent college, have a decent job, and grow old peacefully.<p>

Never once he ever thought of seeing a guy, whose look is so similar with his own, falling from the sky and landed right in front of him in his way towards home.

Out of curiosity and pity, he took the guy to his house and treated the guy's wounds, which he noticed was healing at admirable rate. He didn't call out an ambulance, or even the police out of instinct, and also because he knew that unless he made up a story, no one could actually believe that he found a guy who fell from the sky, and still alive.

His extremely unusual healing rate also forbade him to take him to hospital, as they will probably see nothing at all, not even scars.

It took the guy four hours to finally wake up. He was thankful for the fact that it was a Saturday night, and he had no cram school at the moment, so he wouldn't need to worry about staying late. Who knew what the guy will do if he found himself in a stranger's room alone?

When the guy woke up, he never would've thought that a guy who has been unconscious for four hours, perhaps even longer, could scream as loud as he did.

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU!"

Maybe seeing a guy with the same face as yourself as soon as you woke up wasn't a much better idea either.

"Isn't that supposed to be my line?" Naruto retorted in a much lesser volume than his 'guest'.

The guy who fallen out from the sky turned his head left and right, taking the new sight of into his brain.

"I… where… what…," the guy trailed off in confusion. Naruto was about to explain, but then the guy suddenly punched him in the face.

"OW! What was that for!" he said angrily as he rubbed his nose in pain. _'Damn… I think he broke my nose… Ouch….'_

"You're… not my _Kagebunshin (_Shadow Clone)?" his guest muttered, more with confusion rather than disbelief.

What the hell is a _Kagebunshin_ anyway?

"I don't know what a _Kagebunshin_ is, but I don't think so," Naruto answered rather calmly, even though he was annoyed. But then, the guy suddenly formed something with his hand, concentrated, and yelled out "_Kai _(Release)!"

Nothing happens. Figures. What did he expect?

"What are you doing?" Naruto asked as the guy he found didn't move his hands and stayed in that position. He then yelled "Kai!" again and again, with much more concentration, if the wrinkles by his forehead were any indication.

Naruto decided that this guy may have his look, but he's totally a lunatic.

"…Done?" Naruto asked when he noticed the guy stopped his 'Kai' yelling and deformed the—whatever he called that finger-forming thing—and flexed his fingers.

"…nothing happened….?" Naruto heard the guy muttered, with disbelief and confusion.

'_What did you expect, fool? For the scenery suddenly melted in front of you?_' was what Naruto wanted to say, especially after what he did to his nose, but decided to let it slide, especially when he noticed the pure confusion and disbelief on his look-alike's face. He felt some kind of pity…

Naruto let out a loud sigh and stood up from his position, taking the look-alike's attention to him.

"Find me after you're done doing…whatever you wanted to do. I'll be making dinner downstairs," he said before he turned away and leave the room, leaving his look-alike alone at his bed.

After he went down the stairs, he went to his first-aid kit box in the drawer next to his stairs and took a band-aid from the box. His throbbing nose really needs it. After that, he moved to the kitchen.

When he arrived at the kitchen, he looked at what he has inside his fridge and cupboards. He noticed that he was out of everything but a few cup of instant ramen.

'…_I guess I'll have to go shopping tomorrow then. I hope he doesn't mind cup noodles,_' he thought as he took two cups of instant noodles from his cupboard and fill his kettle with water. As he waited for the water to boil, he decided to prepare the cup noodles, which were standing on top of his counter.

Footsteps could be heard not long after Naruto finished making dinner before his look-alike appeared from the doorway of his kitchen. His look-alike still looked confused, but he also seemed ready to listen whatever explanation Naruto has, if his eyes were any indication.

Naruto glanced to him for a minute, acknowledging his presence, before he glanced away to his front and took the cups in front of him before bringing them to the table. He motioned his look-alike to take a seat on one of the available seat as he took his own. He grabbed one of the cup noodles and pulled it near him, before he opened the lid to see that his share was cooked and ready to eat.

Naruto's look-alike glared at him before he took a seat right in front of him and grabbed the other cup. He looked at it a bit warily before he, too, opened the lid.

"I hope you don't mind cup noodles," Naruto said between slurps. His look-alike glanced at him before he took the chopsticks and took the first bite hesitantly. After the first bite, Naruto's look-alike gradually ate in a normal speed. Both of them ate in silence and only their slurps could be heard, echoing inside the silent house.

When Naruto finished, he noticed that his look-alike also finished eating, as the cup in front of him was bare. It seemed that his guest finished his dinner quite faster than Naruto. So, without further question, he took both cups and threw them out in the trash bin inside his kitchen.

"Are you still hungry?" Naruto asked his guest, who stood up from his seat. His eyes, Naruto noticed, still confused and wary, yet determined. Naruto saw his lips parted and spoke with voice that he knew so well. It seemed that they're not only physically similar, but their voices are also alike.

"Who are you?"

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><p>Uzumaki Naruto decided that things hadn't been going well for him, especially when he found himself in a stranger's room and noticed that this stranger also physically similar to himself. That stranger wasn't a <em>Kagebunshin<em>, or a _Genkaku_ (Illusion), he confirmed it himself. Added to that, he can't bring himself to remember what happened before he blacked out. He was confused, frustrated, and really lost.

He was taken out of his musings when he heard a loud sigh. He then glanced towards the… stranger, who seemed to be the one who let out that loud sigh.

"Find me after you're done doing…whatever you wanted to do. I'll be making dinner downstairs," the stranger said before he turned away and leave the room, leaving Naruto to stare at his retreating back in surprise. After the stranger left from his eyesight, Naruto noticed how silent the surrounding was. Added to that, he noticed how… _alien_ the room was for him. Sure, the furniture weren't generally different, but he couldn't help but to feel how the room wasn't like anything he had ever seen before. Everything seemed too… foreign. It made him feel frightened and insecure.

He knew he wasn't in Konoha, the thought had crossed his mind when had seen the stranger. However, if he wasn't in Konoha, he could still search his way back home.

What he was afraid of that if he wasn't even in the Elemental Country anymore. From what he noticed from the stranger, the outfit that he wore was one he never seen before. Ninja or civilian, he knew he had never seen the kind of clothing the stranger wore in any country at all, no matter how bad his memory is.

He had never been more frightened.

He couldn't even remember what had happened. Everything was blanked. All he could remember that he was supposed to return to Konoha since he finished a mission. His last memory was when he camped for the night with his team.

'_But… My teammates… Who were they? What mission did I have?'_

Everything was a white sheet in his head. He tried his hardest to remember, but still to no avail. All he got was an extreme headache.

'_Kuso…,'_ he cursed in his head. "What the hell happened to me?" he muttered silently.

Realizing that he would get nowhere at all, he decided to follow the stranger out. Maybe after filling his demanding stomach, he would remember something, he thought. So, he stepped outside and carefully descends the stairs warily. Slowly, he went to find the stranger, looking from one room to the other. He passed a room which seemed to be the family room, and then a small room which he guessed as a toilet, before he finally found the stranger in—he guessed—the kitchen. He saw him to be boiling something—water, maybe—and he noticed a couple of cup noodles nearby. The stranger then poured the boiled water into the cups.

After he was done, the stranger glanced to where Naruto was standing with skeptical eyes. They had a staring contest for a few seconds before the stranger broke their eye contact in favor of taking the cup noodles in his hands. The stranger then motioned him to the dining table, but he didn't move until the stranger himself sat down.

Naruto took the seat right across the stranger before he took the offered cup. He studied the cup warily, trying to find some kind of a trap, yet found none. He slowly opened the lid, as if he expected the cup to explode in any second.

"I hope you don't mind cup noodles," the stranger said between slurps. Naruto glanced up from his cup before he took the chopsticks and took the first bite hesitantly, expecting the food to be poisoned. After the first bite, the first thing Naruto realized was the fact that the noodles are poison-free, before he noticed how the noodles tasted a bit like ramen he loved so much, so he gradually ate faster. Before he knew it, he ate everything in the cup.

'_It's not bad, I guess_,' Naruto thought to himself. After a few seconds of silence, he then noticed that the house is so silent, too silent in fact. The only sound he could hear was the slurping sound that came from the stranger.

As he pretended to continue eating, Naruto silently observed the stranger in front of him. Physically, they could pass as twins. The difference between them is only the marks on their cheeks. Naruto's marks looked more defined and black in color, but the marks on the stranger's cheeks looked more like scars than birthmarks, especially since the marks looked pinkish in color, almost blended with his skin. Their hairstyles were also different. If Naruto's hair was wild and spiked in every direction, the stranger's hair looked longer and more tamed, also neater, even if spiky. He even had his bangs parted from the left side and his bangs almost covered his right eye. The tip almost reached his lower eyelid.

Other than hairstyles and the marks, everything looked just the same.

Naruto noticed that the stranger will be done eating soon, so he twiddled his chopsticks around and observed the kitchen he's in. The kitchen is generally spacious, enough for a stove, a fridge, cabinets, cupboards, counters with a dishwasher and sink. Not to forget a square dining table 1.8m in width and four chairs around the table. The kitchen itself was painted in pastel and cream color, with white ceramic flooring. The room, in Naruto's mind, had a soft and warm atmosphere, yet weird and felt as if something was out of place. He can't find out why.

Naruto stopped his observation when he found a hand reached for his empty cup, only to notice that it's the stranger's hand. He watched the stranger turned and throw both of his and his own cups to the trash bin just right on the left side of the fridge. At the same time, Naruto stood up.

"Are you still hungry?" the stranger asked innocently. Naruto glared at the stranger, more in annoyance than fury. He needed some answers and he needed it soon! This stranger, he thought, might be the key for him to have his memories back. He needed to know what happened before he blacked out, where he was, how he got here, when did the stranger found him, and more importantly…

"Who are you?"

The question was filled with demand rather than curiosity. He _needed_ to know who this stranger is and how can he had the same face as him. He wasn't a _bunshin _(clone)_, _or a _Genkaku_, so he just has to know, _who is_ _he?_

The stranger stared at him with a bit of surprise, he saw. But then, his sharpened ears caught the stranger sigh and muttered out in a very low voice.

"_Mendokusai _(Troublesome)_…."_

Naruto frowned, but kept his mouth shut and waited for the stranger to answer his question. His patience wasn't wasted since the stranger finally answered in a lazy tone.

"Do you know that it is common courtesy to give your name first before asking for another's?"

That riled him up. However, he then tried to control his anger and introduced himself, although grudgingly.

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto," he answered not too nicely. He noticed the stranger raised his eyebrows then, but he didn't question him. He just stared the stranger, expecting him to answer him, _soon_. It wasn't after the stranger sighed again that he finally introduced himself.

"_Ore wa _Namikaze Naruto, _ichi juu nana sai desu_. _Yoroshiku onegaishimasu_ (I'm Namikaze Naruto, seventeen years old. Nice to meet you)," he said flatly—bordering on lazily, but still politely.

Naruto noticed the same name and the familiar surname, so he responded by scrunching his eyebrows together and letting his lips formed a frown. The stranger seemed to notice it, if his slight fidget means anything.

"You know…," the stranger started as he took a seat at his previous spot across him and folded both of his arms on the table in between them, before lifting one arm and use it to support his chin as he tilted his head to one side, "…This is weird for me as it is weird for you. To see someone with your appearance isn't something that happens every day, no? Added to that, it seems even our names are similar, if not same."

Naruto hesitated to say anything, so he kept his mouth shut. After a few moments of silence, the stranger sighed again before he scratched his head—in frustration, it seemed—and leaned forward.

"If you don't mind me asking, what happened before you blacked out? I could tell that you—"

"The last thing I remembered was a forest," Naruto said in the end, cutting the previous' words. The other 'Naruto' looked surprised before he leaned backward, to the back of his chair.

"We were on our way to our home. It was already night time, so I and my teammates decided to stop for the night. That was all that I remembered," Naruto said again, his eyes trained on the table. His tone was trained to be firm.

_Never let your guard down, never let your voice falter in any situation, never show your discomfort, never beg, never let anyone see your suffering, and never give up,_ were his motto he held throughout his difficult years.

Ever since long ago, he learned that showing his weakness won't do him any good.

"Hmm?" the other hummed, seemingly interested. Naruto then glanced to his look-alike upon hearing him humming. He found him scrunching his eyebrows together. He seemed to be in deep thought.

"What's wrong?" Naruto asked. The other then glanced up to him, uncertainty etched on the look of his face.

"You said you were in a forest, right?" he asked, that uncertain look still plastered on his face.

"Yeah, that's right."

The other frowned then before he glanced down again and his fingers traced his jaw line absently, looking as if he tried to figure out something difficult.

"That's weird… Had you said bridge or even airplane, I wouldn't be too surprised. But… forest?" he muttered under his breath. "It's not like I hadn't anticipated it, but still…"

Naruto, who heard him muttering, asked in curiosity, "What is it?"

The other shook his head, as if clearing his thoughts, before he finally looked at Naruto again.

"It's impossible for you to end up where you end up unless someone did something to you, do you know what I mean?"

Naruto was confused, before the meaning of that sentence sank in.

"Why? Where did I end up, anyway?" Naruto asked impatiently. Had someone tried to harm him? Why? How? What happened to his teammates then? Is he really that far from home?

The other 'Naruto' sighed again then, exasperated.

"That I don't know. But, if the last memory you had was in the forest, then it is impossible for you to end up there without anyone's help, unless you had some temporary memory loss. I can take you to where I found you so you'll understand if you want. Just tell me when," he offered. Without hesitation, Naruto asked him to bring him now.

"You sure? It's already night time now. You won't be able to see clearly," the other 'Naruto' warned. However, Naruto refused to back down. He needed to know where the hell he is now. The sooner he got clues, the better.

He missed Konoha already.

In the end, the other Naruto gave in and brought Naruto to where he found him. They went to a bridge that was located on a big river, around 15 kilometers from the other Naruto's house. It was dark, so they can't see the river clearly, but the street lamp and the moon gave them enough light to see the bridge.

There was no forest nearby. Only rows of street lamps, roads, and houses. Not even a trace of what he could call 'home'. There was nothing he saw so far seemed familiar. Even in the distance, all he could see were buildings with height almost reached the sky.

"I found you when I got back from school this afternoon," he explained, "I was walking along that bridge before I saw something fell into the water from the corner of my eyes. When I checked it out, turned out it was a human. There wasn't anyone but me then, so I panicked and, before I knew it, dragged you out of the water. When I came to my senses, I noticed how your look was so similar to mine. To say I was surprised would be an understatement. The thought of calling an ambulance and, importantly, the police crossed my mind."

"Why didn't you then?" Naruto asked out of curiosity. Perhaps, from his story, he could figure something out about this guy.

The other shrugged, lifting both of his shoulders.

"Call it curiosity, if you like. I figured that our look just too much alike, it'll be very troublesome if they ask anything, especially if they thought we were related. So, I decided to bring you to my house instead. Besides, like I said, it's not every day you can see someone with the same look, especially a stranger," he answered.

Naruto then nodded in acknowledgement before he studied the bridge again. With open air and river beneath, it did seem impossible that he was in a forest before. Added to that, falling? From where did he fell? The sky? That sounded even more impossible.

But then… how did he end up in here?

Seeing the scenery, the people, and the things around him, from lamp-post to the style of the houses, he realized he may be too far from home. He doubted he was in any of the Elemental Nations anymore.

He wasn't even sure that this was his world.

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><p><strong>~|TO BE CONTINUED|~<strong>

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><p>I don't know if this kind of story had been made before, but I honestly don't care much... Never read any like this before, so yeah... I'll just assume...<p>

Anyways, tell me if I should continue... I already finished the next chapter, but I kinda wanted to finish up until chapter 4 first if this story is well in demand...

Well... Reviews is really appreciated.


	2. Stage II: Kiba and Shikamaru, or Not?

_"I guess we should stop here then," Leader said. The sky was already basking in the sun's bloody rays, signing that the night was just around the corner. Grey clouds crawled in, a sign of the upcoming rain. No matter how good a ninja was, sight will always be hindered in night time for the lack of light, except if he, or she, was a Hyuuga. Unless it was absolutely necessary, a ninja should always find a good, hidden spot and set up a camp to replenish one's strength and to prepare for tomorrow's possible fight. Unpreparedness was an enemy for a ninja._

_I then prepared a tent for myself, while my teammates made theirs. I could taste the rain in the air as I set up the tent. I could also hear the crackle of a thunder and saw a distant flash, a sign of a storm coming. _

_Before long, I finished setting up my tent. The one who finished setting first must go and fetch some water for the team. I was the one who finished first, so I was told to go._

_"There should be a river over there, down the hill," Leader told me as he pointed a path into deeper part of the forest._

_"Don't get lost. I won't be forgiven by Haruno-san if you do," one of my teammates joked from behind me. I replied his joke with a hearty laugh and fake anger._

_"Is that the extent of your trust to me? I feel hurt," I said sarcastically before he laughed at it, and I laughed too. However, Leader didn't seem to like our friendly banter, as he impatiently shoved me away and told me to hurry up._

_"I'm not as patient as Kakashi-senpai, so hurry up and go before it rains!"_

_"Okay, okay," I said before I turned and began to walk deeper into the forest, carrying a medium-sized water container along with me._

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><p><strong>雨の<strong>**音楽****|~  
><strong>_(Music of the Rain)**  
><strong>_by Sapphire09

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><p><em>"How'd you know our name?"<em>

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><p><strong>STAGE II<br>**_Inuzuka Kiba and Nara Shikamaru, or Not?_

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><p>Naruto woke up to a delicious smell.<p>

_'Someone is cooking?' _he thought absently as he groaned. Slowly, he opened his blue orbs and sat upright before he took in the new environment around him. Memories of yesterday slowly flowing back.

_'Ah, that's right… This isn't my apartment…'_ he thought again. He found himself on a sofa with dark blue blanket covering him. Behind him, a white pillow was laid near the armrest. He lifted his arms upwards and stretched as he remembered the other Naruto's courtesy.

After they got back from the bridge last night, the other Naruto offered him to stay at his place for a while, until he could find his way home. Naruto, knowing there was nothing else he could do, took the offer. At least, he wouldn't have to worry about food while he stuck here. The other Naruto also has been kind enough to lend him some of his clothes and let him use the shower last night.

_'…Despite being such a jerk about it,'_ he thought with annoyance.

Slowly, he lifted himself to his feet and made popping noises with his neck and went to the bathroom to do his morning routine, before he went to follow the smell.

"It smelled nice. What are you making?" Naruto asked curiously. The other glanced back before he continued his business at the counter and shortly replied.

"Morning to you too," he said flatly, which made Naruto to remember Shikamaru's way of talking. Naruto then frowned in displeasure, although it wasn't anything new. After a few minutes of observation, the other Naruto seemed to be a mix between Shikamaru's lazy behavior and Sasuke's rude behavior, which was scary, since he adorned his look to boot. However, before he could complain about it, he was told to sit down not too nicely, if not rudely.

"Are you going to stand there like a fool or are you going to sit down and wait?"

Grumbling, Naruto sat down obediently and patiently waited. It was very silent, as only the sound of hissing oil and the thudding sound of wood meeting metal which filled the room. Naruto never liked such silence.

"So…" he began in attempt to destroy the silence. He looked left and right, trying to find a topic.

"Nice weather, eh?" Naruto continued lamely. The other didn't pay him any attention, but at least he replied.

"No, not really. It's cloudy outside and it'll rain later around noon," the other Naruto said as he continued his cooking. Awkward silence then filled the room, making Naruto uncomfortable.

"Oh, really?" he tried again. "How'd you know?"

The other then passed a white plate in front of him and filled it up with a sunny-side up, a couple of bacons with either ketchup and mayonnaise by both side of the plate, a small plate of salad to go by and passed a bowl of rice. He also put a pair of chopsticks near the bowl.

"It was in the weather forecast this morning," he said as a matter of fact as he put another plate to another side of the table and filled it with the same dish, but in smaller portion, Naruto noticed. He then took a bowl and filled it with rice too, before he sat down and took a pair of chopsticks.

"_Itadakimasu_…," he said silently and began eating in silence. Naruto copied his action at last.

"_Itadakimasu,_" he muttered out. The silence was so overwhelming for Naruto; he thought he could go deaf by it. He even ate in a slower speed, very unlike his usual manner of eating.

"My friends will be coming over two hours from now," the other Naruto suddenly said after a few moments of silence, surprising Naruto. He looked towards his look-alike to see him already finished half of his breakfast.

"Pretend that you're my distant cousin if they ever found you out. You may keep your name, but if you don't mind using alias, please do find other name," the other Naruto continued, his eyes never straying from his food as he kept eating his breakfast. Naruto could only frowned in confusion.

"Why?" he asked curiously. The other's eyes then darted to his direction.

"Why, what?" the other asked back. Instead of actually asking, it sounded almost like he was using sarcasm.

"I mean, why do I have to use an alias?"

The look that adorned the other Naruto as he suddenly stopped his eating and just stared at him was flat and really disturbed him. It also annoyed him a little, somehow. Then, the other Naruto sighed and returned to his eating.

"Because then it'll be easier to differentiate. If you ever do something wrong, it'll be me that will be blamed if you stubbornly kept your name. The least you can do is to keep yourself hidden, and if by some chance my friends found you out, do what I just told you," the other explained as he finished his breakfast. "Now finish up your breakfast and take a bath. You do remember where the bathroom is, right?"

It was just after he said that he put the empty plates to the sink and told Naruto to just do the same after he was done. Then, the other Naruto left, leaving Naruto to his half-eaten food.

"That guy is so cold, and a bit of a jerk," Naruto muttered, annoyed. His blond eyebrows creased, creating wrinkles in between of his eyebrows. His lips turned, making a slight frown as he continued eating the breakfast given to him half-heartedly. "But he really could cook…," he muttered out again, not really wanting to admit it. But…curses. The food was just too good, albeit simple. It really suits his taste. But, he was still not in the mood, so it took him a while to actually finish his breakfast.

After he was done, he did like how he was told, putting the empty plates in the sink. He then headed for the bathroom, to find the other just finished bathing, if his wet hair and towel clad form were any indication. The other who just stepped out of the bathroom stopped in his track upon realizing Naruto's presence and glanced at him. Naruto then noticed how the other's form seemed skinnier than him.

Glad to find another difference, Naruto thought.

"Bath?" the other asked indifferently. Naruto didn't actually like the way he talked in one-word sentence, since it reminded him of Sasuke. Hearing Sasuke's pattern of speech from someone who looked too much like himself seemed _too_ creepy. It gave him shivers up to his spine. He couldn't even make up words for a proper reply, so he just nodded.

"The spare towel is inside a small drawer just by your right once you enter the bathroom. Put your dirty clothes in the basket just behind the door. I'll put the change of clothes by the counter near the sink later. To turn on the shower, I believe you still remember how, right? I've told you that last night. Any question?"

The other Naruto explained them all in one draw of breath; it was a miracle that Naruto even catch on a word that he said. He shook his head in negative as the other finished explaining. Satisfied, the other then left to the stairs before he disappeared to the second floor.

After the other left, Naruto went into the bathroom. He didn't really check it out last night, since he was too preoccupied by the thought of ending up in another world. The interior seemed nice enough and the size is also average. A shower stood by the end corner, by the opposite side of the door, with counters lined up from the right side of the door to the right side of the wall, with a sink on one of it and mirror. The flooring was colored in white tiles, like lower half of the walls. The upper half was colored in cream colored paint. In between the lined counters, a small aluminum drawer stood. By the left side of the door, there was a basket made of metal and aluminum. Dirty clothes neatly folded inside the rectangular basket.

After he removed all of his clothing, he opened the shower's sliding door and began showering.

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><p>At his room, Naruto dried himself as he took some pieces of clothing from his wardrobe. He chose a pair of light brown cargo pants and a simple black T-shirt. After he finished dressing himself, he took one look at his wardrobe again and began choosing garments for his look-alike.<p>

He wondered why he even proposed such thing, letting a stranger to stay in his house. It was too nice of him, he thought. It was a drag for him, too troublesome.

Naruto let out a loud sigh. Stop kidding yourself, he chided himself. That guy didn't have anywhere to go, and he already took him to his house. He was the one who started it, so he had to see it to the end, just to make him sleep soundly at night. Besides, he really wanted to know why the guy had the same face as him.

_Oh well, curiosity do usually wins. _

He began taking a pair of army-patterned cargo pants and T-shirt, also clean, newly-bought underwear that he bought earlier this morning from a 24-hours store. Who would've thought such store that would sell everything, from foods to undergarments, could really exist so close to his home. Thanks to his discovery, he could eat something other than ramen this morning. And he also could avoid lending his own underwear to a stranger. Such personal belonging….

Taking the clothes with him, Naruto headed to the bathroom. He heard the shower running, so he figured his look-alike would probably be still in the shower. But, just to make sure…

_Knock, knock._

"Who's there?" said the muffled voice from inside, which annoyed Naruto a little.

_'It's your friendly neighborhood Spiderman! Who the hell do you think I am! Is there even anyone else in this house besides me!'_ he thought, but restrained himself to say that out loud. Instead, he said, "It's me. I brought your change of clothes."

"Oh? Uh… Wait there," the guy replied. Naruto waited for a while, noticing the sound of the shower stopped and the shower's sliding door. After a few seconds, the door let out a click before it was swung open, revealing a towel clad and wet blond. Indifferently, Naruto gave his look-alike the change of clothes before he turned around to the living room, noticing the sound of the locked door from behind him.

"Gee, not even a thank you," he muttered out, though he honestly could care less.

He checked the clock to see that it has been an hour and a half since their breakfast. They should come in another hour, he mused. He decided to go back to the kitchen and made some food. His friends always demanded them every time they would come by. Such bottomless pit…

Putting two blue hairpins to pull his side bangs out of his face, he decided to make sandwiches, since they were simple and edible. In the middle of making the sandwiches, he noticed the prattling sound from the glass of his window. He turned to see that it already began to rain. Frowning, he turned back to the task at hand.

"At least it wasn't a storm…," he muttered almost soundlessly.

It took him around twenty minutes to finish six big portions of sandwiches. Remembering the appetite of his friends, it didn't seem enough, though.

"Oh, well… Not my problem," he said to himself. His friends should already be grateful he even made something for them. After preparing drinks, the doorbell rang. He figured it was probably his friends, so he took his time to wash his hands and dried them. Then, he headed towards the front door.

He was surprised to see his look-alike already opened the door and greeted his two friends.

"…Damn…"

* * *

><p>Right after he came out of the bathroom, dry and fully dressed, he heard the doorbell rang. Naruto glanced towards the kitchen to see that the other Naruto is currently busy. So, he decided to answer it instead.<p>

He headed towards the front door and spun the knob before pulling it open. He was greeted by two familiar faces.

In front of him, a face with slanted, feral-like eyes and spiked brown hair stared back at him with a toothy grin. A brown, plain umbrella was at hand. Another one beside him stared him with bored eyes and his black hair was pulled up in a high ponytail, like a pineapple. In his hand there's a plain dark green umbrella.

Those faces… he knew those faces…

"Kiba… Shikamaru…," he muttered out unconsciously, more of surprise. He stood there, frozen by shock. The one he addressed merely looked at him questioningly, as if expecting him to do something.

"Aren't you going to let us in, Naruto? It's a bit cold here," Shikamaru asked flatly after a few moments of silence. But, instead of doing what he was supposed to do, Naruto still stood there like a statue.

"Oi! _Baka! (Stupid)_" a voice much like his own broke him out of his stupor. He quickly turned his head to glance behind him. The face that looked much similar with his was contorted to show an expression of annoyance. He had his arms crossed in front of his chest and glared at him.

"Huh?" was the only word he could let out, which was replied back with a glare.

"Are you going to let my friends in or what?" the other said with annoyance latched in those words. Naruto noticed it, but he was too shocked to make out a retort. Seeing the faces of his friends made him think that perhaps his friends came to this place to rescue him.

"Woah! Two Narutos!" Kiba's loud exclamation rang through his ears and Naruto saw his look-alike rubbed his temple in exasperation. Meanwhile, Shikamaru had a look of surprise on his face for a second, before it turned back to normal. Curiosity lightened his once bored eyes as he observed both look-alikes.

"Shut up, Kiba," the other Naruto snapped in annoyance. "Go ahead to my room and wait for me there. You know where to put your umbrellas," he ordered both guest impatiently.

"Hey, that one must be our Naruto," Kiba said, smirking as he closed the umbrella behind him, "Heh. Then who's the other one?" Kiba asked curiously as he stared at Naruto, who backed away a bit, getting uncomfortable under such unknown gaze, one filled with curiosity and unfamiliarity, especially on the familiar face of Kiba.

"Kiba," the other Naruto threatened, which made Kiba to shut up before he followed Naruto's order reluctantly, putting his closed umbrella near the front door and went to the second floor. Shikamaru smirked upon seeing his friend's displeasure before he, too, closed his umbrella and put it near Kiba's brown one before he strolled to the second floor, sparing both Naruto another curious glance in the way.

After both of them gone, Naruto turned to see the other glared at him. He replied with a half-hearted glare of himself. The other Naruto didn't seem to like it, since Naruto saw the corner of his left eye twitched and he glared even deeper.

"I thought I told you to keep yourself hidden," the other said, or growled out. Naruto strayed his eyes away guiltily, yet still defiant on admitting his fault.

"…I forgot," he replied simply. If it was possible, the other glared even harder. It was frustrating, and also a bit scary, to see the other glared at him like that. It was like seeing yourself glaring at you.

Yeah, really scary…

That's probably why he couldn't even retort like how he usually would.

Letting out a frustrated sigh, the other Naruto backed down, though his frown was still apparent. "Whatever. Just close the door and bring the sandwiches in the kitchen to my room," he said with a hint of annoyance, before turning back and left to the second floor. Naruto was a bit surprised that he let him off the hook just like that, but he was relived, nevertheless.

_'…Wait… Did I just got scared back there? Of, practically, myself? '_

Putting his annoyance aside, Naruto used that chance to think about what he just saw. Those faces… they just have to be Shikamaru and Kiba, no doubt about it. It was their voice, their appearance, he knew it. But, at the same time, they weren't. There was something different about them, something that Naruto couldn't grasp. Was it their way of talking? Or was it their behavior?

No, they were the same. The only thing that was different was the way looked at him. Instead of familiarity, they saw him like a stranger.

He wasn't sure what to think of it. The thought of him ended up in another world, or perhaps a parallel world, passed his mind. It seemed impossible, he knew, but here he was, in a place where someone who looked like him and had the same name as him, living not unlike an ordinary citizen. Let's not forget about Kiba and Shikamaru. Considering what happened, he couldn't really block out that possibility.

But how did he even end up here?

Can he even get back?

He decided that the first thing he should do is to regain his memory back. He needed to remember what happened after he camped that night before he could even comprehend what was happening now.

He eyed the pouring rain a bit sadly before he closed the door.

He missed Konoha already.

* * *

><p>"He's your cousin?"<p>

Kiba had said that with unnecessary loudness. Naruto merely nodded in affirmative as Shikamaru 'hmm'-ed in response of the new revelation. The three of them were currently sitting around a miniature table in Naruto's room. On top of the table, books and papers filled with formulas were scattered around. Each had their own assignment paper to fill in front of them. In his hand, Naruto held a pencil and he seemed to be in deep thought as he stared the assignment in front of him.

"You sure he's not your father's illegitimate child?" Kiba asked suspiciously, which was answered with a nasty glare.

"No way. Naruto got his look from his mother. That guy couldn't be from his father," Shikamaru said in retort without looking away from his own assignment.

"Then, is he your mother's illegitimate child?" Kiba said again, and Naruto's glare hardened. The pencil Naruto hand in his hand cracked and almost snapped in half. Kiba couldn't help but to flinch upon the intensity of that glare.

"Say that again and I'll rip your throat off," Naruto threatened coolly. Shikamaru could feel the murderous aura spiraling around the blond. He began to feel scared for Kiba. Poor guy…

"_G-Gomen…(_S-Sorry), I was only joking…" was all that Kiba could mutter out as he backed down, shivering and fearing for his life.

Suddenly, the door was opened and another blond—the second Naruto, Shikamaru mused—could be seen standing by the door, and Kiba couldn't be more glad for the distraction. In front of the second Naruto—or as Naruto had told them, Naruto's cousin—a wooden tray with a teapot, three cups, and a plate full with sandwiches was held firmly. He seemed apologetic for some reason.

"I brought tea with me," he said. Naruto then stood up and took the tray from the other's hands.

"Thank you," he said flatly, more out of politeness rather than real gratitude. He then turned back and put the tray on the floor near where he sat. The other Naruto took it as a cue for him to leave, but Kiba suddenly stood up and stopped him.

"Oi! What's your name?" Kiba asked as he reached for the other's shoulder, stopping him from taking another step away. He looked at the blond expectantly, waiting for Naruto's look-alike to answer.

Naruto glanced back to see how his look-alike would answer. Going with the same name as the one he introduced to him was the most foolish choice, so he hoped that his look-alike would find an alias, no matter what.

"Naruto, Uzumaki Naruto."

Naruto decided that his look-alike is, indeed, a fool.

"Woah! You even have the same name!" Kiba exclaimed loudly in surprise, however there was a hint of amusement in his tone. Naruto glanced at Shikamaru to see his eyebrows rose up in question. Shikamaru then turned to him.

"Hey, your mother's maiden name was Uzumaki, right?" Shikamaru asked for confirmation. Holding back a sigh, Naruto half-heartedly explained about his 'cousin'.

"Naruto is my mother's grandfather's brother's grandson's son. It was said that mother looked like her grandfather's mother, so maybe he got her genetic. As for the same name, it was a coincidence," Naruto said while looking a bit annoyed. He was never comfortable with lying, but he could make up stories if needed. Telling the truth to them will only exaggerate the problem. He was just thankful he didn't put his hopes up and already thought of a cover story beforehand.

He couldn't really tell them he found his look-alike falling from the sky, right? They'll stare at him as if he had grown another head. He also had his image to keep.

Both of his friends seemed to accept his story, but the interested look on Kiba's face and amusement in Shikamaru's eyes seemed to bother him for a bit. He didn't even know why.

"Can I go now?" his look-alike asked nervously. He seemed to be uncomfortable to stay even for another second. Naruto was about to grant his leave, but then Kiba cut him off.

"No, wait! I have another question to ask," he said, grinning widely. Naruto noticed his look-alike was inching closer the exit. He also noticed the amusement in Shikamaru's eyes hadn't gone yet.

"How'd you know our name?"

Naruto's eyes were widened in surprise upon hearing his friend's question. He was sure that he hadn't spoken to his look-alike about the name of his friends.

"You called us Kiba and Shikamaru earlier in front of the door. We were pretty sure we didn't tell you our names that time," Shikamaru said again, giving more pressure.

"That's because…," his look-alike trailed off, obviously not knowing what to answer. He narrowed his eyes suspiciously at his 'guest', silently questioning himself. He could see his look-alike sweating cold sweat from his anxiety, looking everywhere away from any of them as he did so.

"I… _Eto.._," his look alike kept trailing off, still unable to answer. His anxiety was felt to all in the room, making Kiba's playful grin even wider. Shikamaru also supported a small mischievous smile.

Naruto's blue eyes wandered away.

_'Baka.'_

* * *

><p><strong>~|TO BE CONTINUED|~<strong>

* * *

><p><strong><strong>**Sapphire09:** I really can't remember when I last updated this... I was too caught up with _Supernatural_ I kinda forgot how I wanted this story to go... Added to that, college really burned out my fuels... *sigh*

I can only hope someone is still reading this... Reviews to let me know, please? hhehe...


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